Patisserie De La Tour D'Auvergne — Specialty Store in Pigalle, Paris

Patisserie De La Tour D'Auvergne is an independent bakery on Rue Claude Rodier in Pigalle, the sort of small, old-fashioned shop where the baker works the ovens and then stands behind the counter himself. Nothing about the frontage announces a destination, which is part of what makes walking in feel like finding something.

The croissant is the thing to get first, warm from the oven and light enough to fall apart in your hands. The pain au chocolat follows close behind, and there is a hazelnut-topped version worth asking for. The almond croissant is heavier and sweeter, and the chouquettes sometimes come as a small extra with your purchase. For lunch, the filled baguettes are generously stuffed, with bacon, salmon-avocado and chicken among the fillings, and the chorizo rolls are worth adding.

The baguette arrives warm and just baked, and you can ask for the traditional one. Everything is made on site, and the shop also does a Nordic bread that is worth taking home. Coffee comes from a machine but is good and cheap, and there is a choice of savoury rolls beyond the sandwiches.

Prices stay low: a black coffee at 1.5 euros, a pain au chocolat at 2.70 euros, a salmon-avocado and cheese baguette under 5 euros. That makes it a place to eat breakfast every morning of a trip rather than a one-off, and the owner will talk you through the fillings in English if you are not sure what to order.

It suits anyone staying nearby who wants a real neighbourhood bakery rather than a polished one.